Poke The Box

By Seth Godin

Seth's Godin's mantra: "The relentless act of invention, innovation, and initiative is the best marketing asset." This is my second time working through Poke The Box. Seth has taught me to "Ship it!" I have been applying that principle to my many facets of my life, most notably to blog posts that might die on the vine because they were not "just right." Seth is a thinker who helps you think and an encourager who pushes you to act. There are so many gems in this book. Spend the money. Invest the time. Read and reread Poke The Box . . . and then act.

The Digital Photography Book

By Scott Kelby

My copy of The Digital Photography Book (Vol 1) is from 2009, but the tip and "secrets" were/are not out of date -- and I'm shooting more and more with my mirrorless Sony a6500. This book is so helpful. Loved the short lessons, easy-to-read pace, and practicability of this resource.

The End Of Reason

By Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias provides a cogent response to Sam Harris and the new atheists. Zacharias shows the inconsistencies of the atheistic position, often turning atheistic arguments on their heads. Brief, insightful, challenging, helpful. A short read with a big punch. A great resource for students and their parents or for anyone who needs helps sorting out the confident cries of the atheists.

A Farewell To Arms

By Ernest Hemingway

Hemingway's "A Farewell To Arms" is a 320 page exposé on Solomon's, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity" (Ecclesiastes 1:1). Employing his brilliant literary brevity Hemingway paints that vanity of war and life "under the sun" during World War I. The book was not a page-turner for me, but his scenes of war, flight from it, intimacies of love, sad gripping conclusion, and masterly use of economy of language help me understand why it is considered a literary masterpiece.

Churchill: The Life

By Max Arthur

A splendid pictorial biography on Winston Churchill, covering his entire life. Max Arthur provides historical context to each of the 260 pages of photographs. This book is fascination and education.

Marching Off the Map

By Tim Elmore & Andrew McPeak

Tim Elmore combines diligent research, leadership development expertise, and wise observation to provide insight and practical help for anyone who wants to understand and work more effectively with Gen Z. Marching Off The Map is one of my “Top 5” reads for 2017. This book is for the reflective practitioner. You can’t read it and not think, “How am I going to implement this?”

One-Page Business Plan

By Mark R. Smith

Mark Smith delivers an extremely helpful and concise overview of a business plan with a practical template for writing one. Mark provides the introductory "what it is" with enough "how to" to help any prospective start-up cover the essential aspects of a thorough and compelling business plan. This resource is a thinking-person's tool to work through the business planning process. Mark combines his Stanford MBA smarts with two decades of business start-up expertise to deliver a tool that is easy to read, but will require careful thinking to complete. I found it extremely helpful as I work to expand and monetize my website and "brand."

On Power

By Robert A. Caro

Robert Caro has devoted a lifetime to analyzing political power in lives of Robert Morris and Lyndon B. Johnson. Here, in his own voice, he shares some of those key moments. Caro gives us a glimpse into the factors that motivated him to purse Morris and Johnson. He lets us see some of his research and writing methodology. And he provides his unique perspective on political power, how it is employed for good and ill, and consequences both intended and unintended that occur in its wake. "On Power" is fascinating listening (and learning).